Press Information

Press Contacts

Sally Aman (202) 544-7881
press(at)DraftPrado.org

Press Releases

Press Clippings

Associated Press- September 21, 2005
"Bush likely to pick moderate for 2nd opening"
"[A] lot of speculation about who will be named is focused on New Orleans, the seat of the 5th Circuit U.S. Court of Appeals. Five judges on that bench -- Priscilla Richman Owen, Edith Brown Clement, Edith Hollan Jones, Emilio Garza and Edward Charles Prado -- have been floated as possible Bush picks...
"Garza and Prado, both native Texans, are Hispanic. So is Miguel Estrada, a conservative young lawyer whose nomination to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit was thwarted by Senate Democrats." More...

Legal Times- September 19, 2005
"As Roberts Hearings Conclude, the Importance of a Second Vacancy Rises"
Whether Bush will give in to demands to appoint a conservative that Democrats can support, like Edward Prado, is another matter. Prado is a moderate Hispanic appointed by two Republicans: President Ronald Reagan placed him on the District Court; Bush named him to the 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals.
"Many Republicans say the current political situation actually argues for bold action. 'Bush is of the mind that one generates political capital by fighting and winning,' notes Sidley, Austin Brown & Wood partner Bradford Berenson, who clerked for Justice Anthony Kennedy." More...

Washington Post- July 19, 2005
"Five From the 5th Circuit Mentioned for High Court"
"As both sides dig in for what is expected to a be contentious ideological struggle over a successor to Sandra Day O'Connor on the Supreme Court, five of the judges mentioned as possible nominees are on the 5th Circuit: Edith Brown Clement, Emilio M. Garza, Edith Hollan Jones, Priscilla R. Owen and Edward C. Prado." More...

Washington Times- July 18, 2005
"Left's list for high court seen as setup"
"Judge Prado also isn't viewed as acceptable by conservatives, but he's become the focus of a major Democratic campaign to be nominated.
"DraftPrado.org is an independent grassroots campaign," according to its Web site. Its creators, however are anything but independent." More...

Dallas-Fort Worth Star-Telegram- July 18, 2005
"Hispanics split on court opening"
"Top Democrats recommended to President Bush on Tuesday three Hispanic judges among potential Supreme Court nominees they view as able to win Senate confirmation without a partisan battle." More...

New York Times- July 12, 2005
"Senators Advise Bush on Picking a Court Nominee"
"In their first meeting with President Bush over the Supreme Court vacancy, Democrats went so far Tuesday as to offer names for consideration while senators of both parties encouraged the president to look beyond the federal judiciary for candidates....

"Democrats were said by two officials familiar with what took place to have broached the names of at least three judges of Hispanic background who they believed had a strong chance of being approved without a tumultuous confirmation fight: Judge Sonia Sotomayor of the United States Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit, Judge Edward Prado of the United States Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit and Judge Ricardo H. Hinojosa of Federal District Court in Texas."
More...

Reuters- July 12, 2005
"Democrats suggest Hispanics for US high court"
"Top Democrats recommended to President Bush on Tuesday three Hispanic judges among potential Supreme Court nominees they view as able to win Senate confirmation without a partisan battle.

"They include Judge Edward Prado of the 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals, Judge Sonia Sotomayor of the 2nd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals and U.S. District Judge Ricardo Hinojosa of Texas, according to sources familiar with talks about a nominee between Bush and Democratic and Republican senators." More...

Dallas-Fort Worth Star-Telegram- July 3, 2005
"The Insider: Dot-Com Lobbying"
"Is there a better way to select judges -- like, say, the Internet?

"Even before the latest vacancy on the Supreme Court, a group launched an Internet site, DraftPrado.org, to encourage President Bush to nominate Judge Edward Prado to the court. Prado is a former Texas district judge whom Bush appointed to the 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in 2003.

"'It's a new approach,' said Jenny Brennan, spokeswoman for DraftPrado.org, which created the Web site." More...

San Antonio Express - July 2, 2005
"South Texas judges praise the retiree"
"[U.S. District Judge Fred] Biery said there are many qualified people — women and men — suited to replace O'Connor, but if he had input, 'My picks would be (4th Court of Appeals Judge) Alma Lopez, Emilio Garza or Ed Prado.'

"Garza and Prado, both San Antonians who sit on the 5th Circuit Court of Appeals, have been mentioned as possible replacements on the high court." More...

Dallas-Fort Worth Star-Telegram- July 2, 2005
"Texans head list of potential nominees"
"Two Hispanics on the 5th Circuit -- Emilio Garza and Ed Prado, both of San Antonio -- are also in the running. A former Marine, Garza has been openly contemptuous of Roe vs. Wade, guaranteeing support from Republican hard-liners and open hostility from Democrats and liberals. Prado's supporters tout him as a moderate and have launched a Draft Prado campaign on the Internet." More...

Dallas Morning News and Knight Ridder News Service - July 2, 2005
"Battle over high court takes surprising turn - with higher stakes"
"Conservatives, meanwhile, are expected to continue pushing judges who had been promoted for Rehnquist's slot. That list includes appeals judges Michael Luttig of Virginia, Samuel Alito of New Jersey and John Roberts of Washington, D.C. They too would likely draw Democratic opposition, especially in place of the moderate O'Connor.

"Bush is being bombarded with advice, including a push from conservatives to consider Sen. John Cornyn, R-Texas, and a write-in campaign on behalf of San Antonio-based appeals Judge Edward Prado. Both are considered long shots."
More...

WOAI NewsRadio San Antonio - June 29, 2005
"Group Pushes San Antoninian for U.S. Supreme Court"
"Long time San Antonio U.S. District Judge Edward C. Prado, who was known for his love of technology and his wry sense of humor during 19 years on the federal bench, is being pushed by a prominent lobbying group for the U.S. Supreme Court.

"We carefully examined about twenty candidates, trying to reach out to legal minds around the country, and tried to find somebody who is terrifically qualified, has a great deal of experience, and could bring people from both sides of the political spectrum together," Arkadi Gerney, director of [...] Start Change told 1200 WOAI news. "In the end, Judge Prado was the person who has all these qualities. He's really an exceptional judge." More...

Dallas - Fort Worth Star-Telegram - June 17, 2005
"Texas Names Are High on the List of Could-be Justices"
"At least three other Hispanics from Texas are also on the list of possible nominees: Emilio Garza and Edward Prado, both from San Antonio and both justices on the New Orleans-based 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals, and District Judge Ricardo Hinojoso of McAllen.

"Prado, considered a moderate Republican, has attracted support from leaders of a liberal-oriented advocacy group, StartChange.org, who have organized a Draft Prado movement to rally support behind a nominee whom they believe has acceptance across the political spectrum." More...

CNN's Inside Politics - June 9, 2005
"Inside the Blogs: Supreme Court"
"This is a group of progressives who are trying to get an online campaign going for a moderate nominee. And their choice is Judge Ed Prado, a Hispanic-American from Texas who they point out was nominated in the past to previous positions by both Presidents Reagan and Bush. Imagine a Supreme Court nominee with a mainstream approach to the law who has earned the respect of both Republicans and Democrats." Read it... Watch it...

San Antonio Express - June 9, 2005
"'DraftPrado,' in the words of the nonprofit StartChange.org, is a national, grass-roots effort to put the judicially moderate Republican on the high court if — as many anticipate — Chief Justice William Rehnquist retires this summer....

Lawrence Macon, a locally prominent attorney, called his friend Prado nonideological and "the most people-oriented judge I ever met."

"Who could complain about Ed Prado? How could you filibuster Ed Prado?" Macon said. "There is nothing ugly to say about him." More...

MSNBC's Connected Coast to Coast- May 31, 2005
"Debating the Next Supreme Court Justice"
Monica Crowley: Rumors of a possibly new high court appointment continue to swirl. let's get into the future of the supreme court with two terrific guests... Craig Crawford: the Constitution says the president and the Senate choose the Supreme Court Justices. I have an idea you want to broaden that out, get it on the internet, start your own online campaign to pick a new Justice?... Arkadi Gerney (Director of StartChange): We are going to be putting forward a name that we think the President should consider and the Senate should consider - the name of somebody with a moderate record, terrific experience - a Supreme Court nomine who can really bring the country together.

Legal Affairs - May 23-28, 2005
DEBATE CLUB 5/23/05 - Who Could Win Every Senator’s Vote?
- Arkadi Gerney (Director of StartChange) and Carl Tobias debate.
"In his twenty years on the federal bench, Judge Prado has built a record as a moderate, thoughtful jurist. Prado has mixed what some might describe as a slightly liberal record on criminal, immigration, and federalism cases with a slightly conservative record on matters involving business regulation and disability cases. Judge Prado has another quality that would make him an historic nominee. He would be the first Latino Supreme Court Justice.... Particularly in this moment, we need a nominee who is—to borrow a phrase from our Rhetoritician-in-Chief—"a Uniter, not a Divider." More...